


A very important match

by sarcasmismyweapon



Series: Learning Curve [3]
Category: Naruto
Genre: ANBU - Freeform, Iruka is a cute little shit, Iruka means well, Kakashi gets in trouble, Kidfic, Life Lessons, Pranks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-09
Updated: 2018-04-09
Packaged: 2019-04-20 20:39:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14269095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarcasmismyweapon/pseuds/sarcasmismyweapon
Summary: Iruka has to face the hokage head on if he wants to ensure that Wolf doesn't find out about what he's done while the ANBU has been away. Little do both the hokage or Wolf know that Iruka has been ten steps ahead of them the entire time.





	A very important match

**Author's Note:**

> Wrote this up last night and just finished editing it. Figured I might as well post it since it is technically my posting day. So here you go, a nice little one-shot with your favorite ninja. This fic takes place somewhere before Iruka is introduced to Raccoon and Himiko. Just in case you were wondering why they aren't included/mentioned.

 

Iruka stood before the third hokage of the village hidden in the leaves. Normally anyone standing before the man’s piercing gaze would have been cowering or at the very least apologizing for what they’d done. That wasn’t the case with Iruka though, the boy refused to look away from the hokage as he stood there with his arms folded over his chest in what the third believed to be some kind of rebellion to his authority. He withheld his smirk at the boys inability to be threatening to him, but just barely. Instead he chose to address the child before him as he would any other who was brought before him for such a thing.

“You do realize why you are here?”

Iruka continued to stare back at him, his brow furrowed in what was sure to develop into a glare if he was kept longer. When he heard the man’s question Iruka shrugged. Sighing the third placed his chin in his palm before replying. “I’m sure you’re aware of why you’re here Iruka, your a smart boy.”

Iruka didn’t reply to the compliment, didn’t do much more than blink back at him. “Which leaves me quite puzzled as to why you thought you would get away with that.” Iruka continued to blink up at him as if he was totally clueless on what the hokage meant. Sighing the third sat back in his chair, simply observing the boy who had yet to speak to him. “I find it suspect that you would only act out in such a manner at the same time that Wolf is away.” By the boys frown the third understood that the boy in front of him was confused. “What is wrong?”

Iruka shook his head. “I don’t know what that means.”

Chuckling a bit the third replied. “It means that I find it curious that you would pull such a stunt after behaving for so long. The fact that it happened only when Wolf isn’t in the village is...suspicious. Don’t you think?”

Iruka huffed, for once looking away from the leader of the village. The third nodded his head. “I thought so, tell me what has you so upset? Is it the notion that Wolf will be gone or did something happen?”

Iruka refused to answer, he hadn’t yet taken credit for what had happened. He’d learned early on that to admit you did something was to invite punishment. Avoiding the subject was the best way or so he found. If adults had even a sliver of doubt on who had committed the act they frowned upon they tended to be lenient on who they suspected did it.

“Iruka.”

The boy jerked his head up, having drifted off into his thoughts. The third smiled at him. “Are you going to explain why you felt the need to do this?”

Iruka blinked at the man before asking. “When will Wolf be back?” It was by no means an admission of guilt and the pre-genin knew that his question frustrated the third because of it. The man’s brow pinched together a hair before he sighed. “Soon enough. Now are you going to explain yourself?”

Iruka glanced out the large windows that made up the hokage's office. The hokage twisted his head a hair to see what the boy was staring at, there was no doubt that the view from his office was spectacular. However he needed the boy to tell him why he had acted out in such a way, all the reports he had gotten since Iruka had met Kakashi had been stellar. For both of them even. Sighing he steepled his fingers together before deciding to play into what he hoped might be a weakness.

“When Wolf returns I’m sure word will spread to him of what happened.” It was low, but he wasn’t beyond doing such a thing if it made the boy see reason. Just because his ‘guardian’ wasn’t in the village didn’t mean he wouldn’t hear of what the boy was up to when he was gone. Iruka spun around a glare on his face as he heard the man’s words. 

“You can’t do that!”

Hiruzen smirked before simply replying. “I am the hokage, I can do what I like.” He saw the boys hands clench tightly into fists, the boys glare turning cold. “However I’m sure that we could make some kind of arrangement.”

Iruka blinked, his earlier outrage and anger fading as he tilted his head. “Arrangement?”

Hiruzen nodded. “Yes, a deal.”

Iruka threw his hand over his chest before asking. “What kind of deal?”

Knowing that he now had the boy under his thumb, the third simply replied. “You do not wish for Wolf to hear of what you’ve done correct?”

Iruka bit his lip a moment before saying. “I-I don’t want him to hear what happened.”

‘Always the smart one’ The third thought to himself. The boy still hadn’t admitted to committing the crime, he had to give him credit for that. “And because of you not wanting Wolf to hear of this event, your willing to barter with me aren’t you?”

Iruka stepped closer before asking. “What do you want?”

Smirking the third replied. “Do you know how to play shogi?”

Iruka scrunched up his face before shaking his head. “Ah well then I should teach you. Should you win I believe I can keep your secret.”

Iruka frowned. “You want me to win?”

The third chuckled. “Should you win I won't inform Wolf on who the culprit was in today’s little incident. However, if you lose...” He let it hang.

Iruka huffed, his hands falling to his sides. “So all I have to do is beat you at a game?”

The third nodded his head. “That is all you have to do.” Inwardly he was laughing at the boys confused face, he knew the boy had no idea what he was getting himself into. His own son couldn’t best him and they had been playing for years, there really was little hope of the boy beating him. Yet he vainly hoped that if he spent some time with the boy Iruka might see that he wasn’t someone to be angry with, but rather someone he could come to instead of destroying parts of the village in retaliation for some unseen slight against himself. 

“So do we have a deal?”

Iruka nodded his head, he watched as the third rose from his seat behind the desk. Coming around it and gesturing for Iruka to follow, the pre-genin did as asked. Running a bit to catch up with the hokage and walk beside him. The man looked down at him with a smile on his face, Iruka turned his head away. He didn’t see what there was to smile about. Chuckling at the boys temper he lead the child into the tea room which was just a door away from his office. Ushering the boy to the small table where they would play.

“I will be right back Iruka.”

The pre-genin twisted about to glance at the hokage before with a sigh nodded his head. Hiruzen twisted back and shut the door a bit. He needn’t ask for their appearance, his ANBU already bowed before him.

“Make sure we are not disturbed.”

“Of course hokage-sama.” 

Giving a nod he went to return to the room before thinking better of it. Smirking to himself he turned back around and with mirth in his voice asked. “And inform me when Wolf has returned.”

The two ANBU glanced to each other before nodding to their hokage, as long as they had served he had never gone back on his word. Sensing what his ANBU were curious about the man chuckled. “I’m just curious to find out what he thinks of the boys artwork, should the boy win I will keep my word.”

One of the ANBU cleared his throat. “Hokage-sama...Would you ask us to keep silent on this matter?”

Smirking the hokage replied with a glimmer of mischiefness in his voice. “Well the boy should learn that the walls have ears. Surely he is aware that I have guards, though he may never have seen you. Wolf would have been remiss not to inform the boy of his brethren.” 

The ANBU chuckled at their hokages apparent plot against the pre-genin.

“Sir, has your son beaten you yet in a game?”

“Hmm... No.” The third smirked at the men before turning away and walking back into the room. The door shutting quietly behind him. The two ANBU glanced to each other before chuckling.

“That kid is toast.”

His partner nodded his head. “Yeah...And Wolf is going to tear him a new one when he sees his artwork.”

The pair chuckled as they went to secure the area for their hokage and his guest. They were sure that the match the two would play would be very short indeed.

 

*****************

 

Iruka twisted back around when he heard the door come open, the third smiled at him with the same smile that tended to make Iruka irritable. Sighing he watched as the man sat on the opposite side of the table. Reaching just below it to pull out the board. Iruka watched transfixed as the man set up the game, his eyes going from one piece to the next before rising to stare at the third hokage himself. The third smiled at him in that gentle way that some people seemed to possess. Iruka didn’t understand it, but he figured some people were just like that. On some level it bothered him, it was annoying to know that the adults were hiding things that he couldn’t know about. Still he is quickly diverted from his earlier musings by the older man gesturing towards the board.

“Now, let me explain the rules of the game and we’ll do a test run alright?”

Iruka frowned down at the board before him, it can’t be too hard right? Nodding his head to the third he listens intently to what the man had to say. Noting each and every motion he makes with the pieces, trying his best to remember it all as the man goes from one thing to the other. It’s enough to make his head spin by the time they get to the end of it. The third is smiling at him though, encouragingly to boot. Glaring at the older man Iruka huffs as the man moves the first piece of their ‘test game’. Iruka is bound and determined not to let the man win. He isn’t about to face Wolf’s wrath if he can help it that is. Swallowing nervously Iruka reaches forward and with a sigh moves his first piece. The third smiles at him when Iruka gazes up as if to make sure the move he made was correct. Hiruzen reaches out to move his next piece, inwardly thinking to himself.

‘So it has begun.’

 

******************

 

Kakashi smirked to himself as he tossed his completed mission report on the table. The man who was receiving the half destroyed report glanced up to his masked face before sighing. With a grimace he parted the pages with the barest edges of his fingers before muttering.

“You do outdo yourself don’t you.”

“I try.”

The man shook his head before reminding the Wolf ANBU. “It’s your hide when Ibiki-san sees this.”

Kakashi shrugged to the man who was doing everything in his power to not touch the report he’d just delivered. When the ninja looked back up at him and shook his head, Kakashi knew it was time to go. Giving a wave he waltzed right back out the door to the hidden office in the T&I office. It was their version of the missions desk and he did relish torturing the people in there. Humming to himself Kakashi came to an abrupt stop when he heard laughter. Tilting his head he twisted about and made his way towards the noise. Laughter wasn’t something one normally associated with T&I, let alone ANBU. His curiosity got the best of him and sooner than originally planned did he find himself behind a group of ANBU who were listening to another of their brethren regale them with some story. No doubt a mission, sighing at the notion he turned to leave only to stiffen when he heard his name.

“WOLF!”

Sighing the teen twisted about only to see the man wave him over, muttering under his breath about needing to kill his own curiosity Kakashi paused before the group.

“What?”

“Have you been by the hokage tower yet?”

Shaking his head the ANBU replied. “I’m off duty, just got bac-”

“From your mission we know.” The group chuckled.

Glaring at the men around him Kakashi prepared to tell them what he thought of their humor, only to come up short when the man who had apparently been telling the ‘story’ to the others said.

“Your boy got himself in trouble.”

“My boy?” Now thoroughly confused as to what the men around him had been smoking, the teen threw his hands over his chest. “What are you talking about?”

The men snickered before stating. “The kid, the one you’ve been hanging with.”

Kakashi stood up straighter when his mind latched onto what they were talking about, or rather who they were talking about. “Iruka.”

“Yeah!” The man waved his hand. “Him, the kid.” The man chuckled as he shook his head. “Man he’s got balls, hokage called him in earlier because of what he did and the little shit just stood there. Playing dumb and making the hokage jump through hoops to get it out of him.”

“Get what out of him?” He scowled at the other ANBU. He was already concerned to hear that Iruka had been called before the hokage, let alone that he had apparently been being a little shit to the man. He’d have to make sure to inform the boy that it wasn’t okay to disrespect the hokage of their village in their next lesson.

“He wanted the kid to admit to what he did, but he wouldn’t. Just stood there playing dumb until the hokage threatened to tattle on him.”

The other ANBU laughed as they turned to glance at him. Kakashi tilted his head. 

“Tattle on him?”

“To you.” The ANBU pointed. “The kid went stalk still when the hokage threatened to tell you about what he did.”

Kakashi sighed, well at least that was something. Iruka apparently didn’t want him to know what he’d done which meant the kid was aware he wouldn’t like it. Which also meant that Iruka was aware he shouldn’t have done it in the first place. He was going to have a serious talk with the kid once he sorted this all out. For right now he was glowering at his comrades who were anxiously awaiting some kind of response from him.

“What’d the hokage do?” He needed to know how deep Iruka managed to get himself into a hole. Their hokage was pretty lenient, especially with a kid like Iruka. That didn’t mean however that he’d take shit lying down, Kakashi had seen his fair share of the hokage unleashing onto some unsuspecting asshole who managed to spark the hokages ire. He didn’t relish Iruka being on the receiving end of that.

“He made a deal with the kid.”

“Oh?”

The ANBU nodded. “Yeah if he could beat him at a game of shogi he wouldn’t tell you what happened.”

Kakashi snorted as the others broke off into fits of laughter. Everyone who knew the third knew that he was not someone to be trying to beat at that particular game. As long as he’d known the third Kakashi could only think of a handful of people who had actually beaten the man at a game and even then it hadn’t happened very often. 

“So what are you going to do?” One of the men asked as he reclined on a couch in what amounted as a ‘break room’ for the ANBU when they were waiting for orders.

“Go and find the brat.” Kakashi shrugged. “Read him the riot act and see what it was he did.”

The ANBU chuckled to themselves as if in on something he wasn’t. Knowing he was going to regret it, but needing the answer anyways. Kakashi dared to ask.

“What’d he do?”

The ANBU glanced around to each other before the one who had been telling him about Iruka’s impromptu meeting with the hokage said. “You’ll see it on your way there.”

Sighing at the implications of that, he turned to leave only to halt at the doorway when they called out to him.

“Oi tell the kid that he should learn to pick his battles. Don’t think he’s got the stuff to take on the hokage just yet.” 

The cacophony of laughter that sprang up behind him had Kakashi glaring at the door, he knew Iruka didn’t mean to challenge the hokage like that. The way they made it sound like the kid was trying to harm the man, which he knew wasn’t the case. Doing his best to ignore his comrades amusement, Kakashi made his way out of the T&I compound. Making his way to the nearest roof the teen glanced around, as far as he could see there was nothing out of sorts in the village. Yet his comrades assured him that he would see it, sighing he headed in the direction of the hokage tower. 

He made it exactly six blocks in the right direction before he saw what ‘it’ was. The sheer shock of what he was seeing had him stumble on the rooftop, collecting himself Kakashi stood there simply staring at the sight before him. Somehow and he really wasn’t sure how the kid had managed to do it, somehow Iruka had managed to spread a vast quantity of paint around the central area of the village. By the looks of it the kid had been trying to make some kind of crude drawing and if he could hazard a guess it was either the leaf symbol or kanji for the word bread. Sighing Kakashi continued forward, preparing himself to give the brat one hell of a lecture. He was sure to find the boy at his apartment by now, but wished to stop by the hokages office to at least try to apologize for the kids behavior. He didn’t know what had come over the kid, but he wasn’t going to allow it to continue. Climbing up the hokage tower he nodded to the two figures who were hidden outside, they gave a wave before one of them asked.

“Come to save the kid?”

“Huh?”

The two chuckled. “He’s inside with the hokage still.”

Groaning at the notion of Iruka bothering the hokage for this long, he made his way towards the window. Climbing through he heard only the barest of voices coming from the adjoining room. Nodding his masked head he made his way to the door, gently knocking so as not to disturb them. It went silent in the room a moment before the hokage’s strong voice called out.

“Enter.”

Smirking beneath his mask, Kakashi knew Iruka was going to be horrified to know that he had not only lost the game, but been found out in the very same afternoon. Opening the door he came just inside the room, Iruka’s back was to him and the boy appeared to be trying to figure out what kind of move to make. The third smirked at him before stating.

“Iruka here was just about to win.” He gave the ANBU a knowing look.

“Yeah and I’m in for a promotion.” He sassed back.

Iruka twisted about a shocked look on his face. “Wolf!” The boy clambered to his feet and ran over to him. Hugging him tightly, sighing he hugged the boy back before telling the boy with a firm tone.

“I really hope what I was hearing from the other ANBU isn’t true.”

Iruka went tense a moment before the boys muffled voice came through his vest. “What’d you hear?”

Smirking he shook his head. “What’d you do?”

Iruka pulled back, his face downcast.

“Iruka.”

The boy sighed before admitting defeat. “I-I made a mess.”

“Uh huh, what kind of mess.” He wasn’t about to let the kid get out of this that easily.” The third watched on with a glint of approval in his eyes as Kakashi took the boy in hand as it were.

“I splashed paint around the village.”

“Why?”

Iruka shrugged his shoulders as he stared down at the floor.

“I don’t buy that kid, you knew what and why you were doing so spill.”

Iruka peered up at him through his fringe. Kakashi held his gaze unflinchingly. The pre-genin glanced towards the hokage as if wondering if the man would protect him from the ANBU’s ire. The third smirked back at the boy before stating.

“I believe Wolf asked you a question.”

Iruka let out a breath as he turned back to face his ANBU. Iruka startled both men when he came forward to wrap his arms around Kakashi once more and buried his face into the teen. Sighing Kakashi glanced towards the hokage, seeking some kind of help in the matter. The hokage smiled back at him before stating.

“I believe Iruka could repay his debt to the village should he be willing to clean up what he did.”

Kakashi knew it was a lenient sentence for the disruption to the village the boy had caused. Placing his hand on the top of the kids head, Kakashi whispered.

“Iruka, that’s fair considering what you did. Don’t you think?.”

The boy nodded his head against him, refusing to part from his ANBU. Looking back up to the hokage Kakashi spoke for the boy.

“He’ll clean up the mess he made.” He promised the man, before adding. “And he’ll promise not to do this again.” He enforced his words by pulling Iruka back enough to glower at the kid. “Right Iruka?”

The boy nodded his head before turning to face the hokage at the ANBU’s prodding.

“I’m sorry hokage-sama.”

Iruka winced when Wolf cleared his throat as a reminder. “I promise I won't do it again.”

The third smiled back at the boy good naturedly, he was proud of both of them. Though he couldn’t say as much in front of Iruka at the present time. He would have to remember to tell Kakashi how well he was doing with the boy and as soon as Iruka proved that he had taken this incident to heart he’d tell the boy what progress he’d made.

“Thank you Iruka, I hope you’ll keep to your promise to me and to Wolf.”

The boy nodded his head to the man, twisting around to peer up at the ANBU. “Can I go home now?”

Kakashi sighed before reminding the boy. “I’m not the hokage kid, ask him.” He waved a gloved hand back towards the hokage. The third chuckled at the scene before him, Iruka having turned to ask permission from the ANBU instead of him. Iruka twisted about to do just that, but was prevented from saying anything by the hokage.

“You can go home Iruka, but I hope you learned a lesson from all of this.”

Iruka nodded.

“Good. Wolf will see you home then.” The third smiled up at Kakashi. “He can start on the cleanup tomorrow.”

The ANBU nodded his head before bowing to the man. laying a hand on Iruka’s shoulder the teen transported them away from the hokage. Once he was alone the third chuckled to himself, twisting about to stare down at the board he wondered if Iruka had realized that he had won seven moves into their ‘game’. Shaking his head he rose from his seat at the table and made his way back to his desk, he was behind now after indulging the boys fantasy of being relieved of his potential scolding from the ANBU. Once seated Hiruzen couldn’t help, but smile to himself. 

 

***************

 

Kakashi twisted Iruka around the moment that they arrived at the kids apartment. Kneeling down to be on level with the boy. “What were you thinking?”

Iruka lowered his gaze to the floor. 

“Iruka look at me.”

The boy shook his head. Sighing Kakashi muttered under his breath. “You were rude to the hokage on top of things kid, do you know how lucky you are that he was willing to tolerate that?”

Iruka nodded his head.

“And you realize you shouldn’t have done that? He’s the hokage.”

Iruka nodded once more.

“Then why’d you do that?” He was utterly baffled as to why the boy had been so brazen with the hokage of all people. Iruka was silent, staring at the floor and Kakashi was beginning to think that he wouldn’t  get an answer from the boy. Finally Iruka spoke up, though it was a bare whisper.

“I didn’t want you to know.”

“To know what? That you painted half the square?”

Iruka nodded. Kakashi scowled at the boy. “Why didn’t you want me to know?”

“Cause you’d be upset.”

Kakashi snorted. “Then why’d you paint the square in the first place?”

Iruka shrugged.

“That’s not an answer Iruka.”

The boy sighed as he tilted his head up to stare back at the ANBU kneeling before him. “I missed you.” Before he could utter a single word towards explaining why that wasn’t a good enough reason to paint the village square, Kakashi found himself a pre-genin attached to his body. Smirking beneath his mask, Kakashi wrapped his arms around the boy.

“I missed you too, but you can’t do things like that.” He felt the kid nod against him. “And you really can’t talk back to the hokage kid.” Again another nod. Sighing Kakashi dared to ask. “Are you just nodding so I wont be angry with you?” Nothing and then a small nod. Chuckling Kakashi pulled the kid back to stare at him. “Iruka.” 

The pre-genin sighed. “I’m sorry Wolf.”

He stared the kid down a moment before replying. “I’m not sure you are, but you will be by the time you scrape off all that paint.”

Iruka nodded his head. “Are you mad?”

Kakashi snorted. “Yeah I’m mad.” Iruka ducked his head back down causing Kakashi to sigh. “Look, I’m not happy with your choice in extra curricular activities while I’m away. I’m also not happy with how you treated the hokage.” He waited to see if the boy had anything to say for himself. When it appeared that he didn’t Kakashi continued. “I’m not happy that you tried to get out of it either, but I figure part of that lies on the hokage. Though you shouldn’t have ignored his questions. It’s disrespectful.”

Iruka lifted his head a bit to peer at him through his fringe.

“What?” The ANBU shot back.

“I apologized.”

Kakashi rolled his eyes. “Yeah after I told you to. That doesn’t count kid.”

Iruka’s brow scrunched up a bit. “It doesn’t?”

Chuckling he shook his head. “No, you owe the hokage a real apology, but it can wait until you clean up all the mess you made.”

Iruka sighed. “Okay.”

“Now are you going to tell me the real reason why you made such a mess?”

Iruka stared back at him, silent. Glowering at the boy, the teen informed him. “Kid I’m ANBU and if I so choose I can make you talk.”

Iruka tilted his head. “How?” The boys natural curiosity coming to a head.

Sighing Kakashi shook his head. “It doesn’t matter, just tell me w-”

“How could you make me talk if I had my mouth shut?”

Glaring at the boys curious nature which he was no doubt trying to distract him with, Kakashi replied. “If you keep dodging the subject you’ll find out.”

The pre-genin sighed. “I missed you.”

“Again not a reason to trash the village.” The ANBU pointed out.

Iruka shrugged before looking away from the ANBU. Kakashi sighed at the boys behavior, gently grasping the boys shoulder he gave the boy a nudge to get his attention. Once Iruka was looking back at him did he speak.. 

“You don’t know why you spread paint around the village square?”

Iruka stared back at him impassively before repeating what he’d already said. “I missed you.”

“So because I had a mission and you were lonely you made a mess of the village square, which you now have to clean up.” The ANBU reminded the boy. “Doesn’t seem worth the ten minutes of entertainment it brought you now does it?”

Iruka shrugged. “I spilled paint on a farmer.”

Kakashi lowered his head to stare at the floor as he sighed. He was smiling because of what the boy had said and was ever so grateful for his mask hiding that. “Iruka.” He groaned. “You can’t do things like that.” Tilting his head back up he did his best to hide how amused he was. “Did you at least apologize to the man?”

Iruka shook his head. “No, I ran.”

Snorting Kakashi asked. “Was he chasing you?”

Iruka gave a small nod. “He was slow though.”

Kakashi smirked beneath his mask. “Next time apologize.”

“Next time?” Iruka smiled.

“Don’t.” Kakashi growled. “You aren’t going to be doing things like this again kid or I’ll tell some of my comrades to watch you on their patrols.”

Iruka pouted upon hearing that. “Stay out of trouble.” Kakashi inforced. “I don’t want to be coming home from a mission only to hear your wrecking the village in my absence.”

Iruka rolled his eyes only to wince when he was cuffed upside the head. “I mean it.” The ANBU growled out. Iruka nodded his head. “Sorry Wolf.”

Sighing Kakashi stood and peered down at the pre-genin who was looking up at him cautiously. “So you missed me huh?”

Iruka gave a small smile as he nodded. Shaking his head Kakashi pulled the kid forward and hugged him. “Your a brat.”

Iruka giggled against the teen as he was embraced.

“Don’t think your out of trouble either, I’m gonna be personally overseeing the cleanup.”

Iruka nodded against the teen. “Okay.”

Kakashi stared up at the ceiling a smile on his face.

“Wolf?”

“Hmm?” He canted his head back down to stare at the top of the boys head.

“I think the hokage cheats at shogi.”

Kakashi chuckled. “You do huh?”

Iruka nodded his head. “He kept moving his pieces in a circle.” 

Kakashi snorted. The only reason the man would have been doing that was because he was waiting the kid out. More than likely he had already won and was simply stalling to see if Iruka would give in.

“He cheats at a lot of things kid, but shogi isn’t one of them.”

Iruka frowned against the teen’s body, sighing Iruka muttered. “So does that mean I won?”

Kakashi laughed. “Not by a long shot kid.”

Iruka let out a long drawn out sigh, he hated it when adults did that. He was sure that the hokage had been cheating, but if Wolf said otherwise then it meant that the man had obviously been faking the game. How else could it have gone on so long? 

“Wolf?”

“Hmm?”

“There’s a lot of paint.”

The ANBU chuckled. “Yeah I know, I got a good view of it all on my way to the hokage’s office..”

“Does that mean you get to stay in the village until it’s cleaned up?”

As soon as the words left the kids mouth something clicked in his head. Kakashi pulled the kid away from himself and peered down at the curious gaze of the pre-genin. Frowning he knelt down before asking. “Iruka did you trash the village in the hopes that the hokage would make me stay here to make sure you cleaned it up?”

Iruka blinked at him a moment before asking. “Did it work?”

Kakashi laughed at the boys ingenious plan. Nodding his head he told the boy. “Yeah it worked Iruka.” The boy smiled back at him only to pout when the ANBU continued. “But you don’t do this again alright? I can’t be explaining to the hokage why you keep doing things like this. I’ll have to go on missions kid.”

Iruka frowned. “But it worked.”

Kakashi shook his head. “Yeah this time. Doing the same thing over and over again doesn’t work when you’ve shown what you can do. People learn to predict your moves.”

Iruka nodded his head as he took in what the ANBU had to say.

“You promised the hokage you wouldn’t do this again, I want you to promise me you wont.”

Iruka bit his lip.

“Iruka. Promise me you won't paint up the village again.”

The boy sighed before nodding his head.

“Say it.” The ANBU said with a scowl.

Iruka gave him a put out look before speaking. “I promise I won't paint the village again.”

“Thank you.” The ANBU replied with a smile hidden beneath his mask.

Iruka smiled back at him before he asked. “Your not going to tell the hokage are you?”

Kakashi snorted. “He’s gonna have good laugh at this one kid.”

“But Wolf-.”

“But Iruka.” The ANBU interjected with a laugh. “You don’t want people to know what your doing, don’t get caught.”

Iruka sighed. “Fine.”

Kakashi chuckled at the pouting tone the child used.  “Tomorrow you’ll start cleaning up all the paint, the faster you get it done the faster we can return to training.”

Iruka sighed, but gave a small nod.

“In the meantime however, why don’t we catch up. What were you up to-besides painting half the village.” The ANBU asked.

Iruka smiled at him before delving into a tale of how he’d managed to ditch the farmer, ordinarily Kakashi would have berated the boy for bringing up a part of his would be prank. This time however he let it slide and listened with rapt attention as the boy regaled him with his adventurous tale. 

Secretly he couldn’t wait to tell the hokage about how the kid had pulled a fast one over the man. He’d never let Iruka know of course, but he was pretty sure Iruka had won. The kid had been ten steps ahead of them at the very least and hadn’t revealed his hand until it was all said and done. A part of him was proud of the kid, but he couldn’t show it. Not if he wanted Iruka to behave himself while he was out on missions anyway. 

The last thing he needed was the hokage breathing down his neck because Iruka wouldn’t behave himself while he was out of the village. He was going to catch enough shit from the men and woman at T&I headquarters once this circulated, though he might just let a few of his friends know how smart the kid really was. Smiling beneath his mask Kakashi nodded his head when Iruka became excitable from something he’d done while ‘escaping’ the mean shinobi who had tried to capture him. Yeah he’d definitely have to have a talk with the hokage about this.

 

***********************

 

All Kakashi had tried to do was come check in with the hokage after his mission, he’d already handed in his official report and had simply wished to inform the man that all was well. He’d no sooner got inside the man’s office than did the man level him with a glare. Kakashi blinked at the hokage, confused for all of a second before he dared to ask in a tortured tone of voice. “What did he do?”

The hokage steepled his hands together before stating. “There was an incident.”

Kakashi nodded his head, from the tone of voice the hokage was using he could tell the man wasn’t impressed with whatever Iruka might have done.

“An incident involving the newest litter of Inuzuka puppies.”

Kakashi winced, Tsume was going to have his balls. “And?” He dared to question.

“And.” The hokage started. “Somehow the dogs managed to be introduced to a particular area. Can you take a guess what that area was?”

Kakashi groaned before muttering. “I promise I won't disclose anything to him anymore.”

The third chuckled as he sat back in his seat. “I would hope not, if the boy takes to heart that his apparent job is to right whatever wrongs might be done to you I fear for the safety of the village.”

Kakashi sent a glower to his leader. “He means well.”

“Ah, he does.” The hokage nodded. “But he also released a hoard of puppies onto the last man who irritated you.”

Kakashi sighed. “How’d Tsume take that?”

The hokage sent him a glare. Nodding Kakashi muttered. “Right. She was amused enough to not help until you ordered her too and then she was pissed to hell and back. Do I at least get a head start before she comes for me?”

The man rolled his eyes at the teenager. “She has already spoken with Iruka about how he mustn't do that again, but I’ll leave it to you to enforce the fact that he is going to have to make some kind of amends for what he did.”

“Of course.” Kakashi nodded his head.

“Good.” The hokage sighed as he straightened himself out in his chair. “Oh and Kakashi?”

The ANBU nodded. “If the boy does something like this again, I’ll send you to Suna in the summertime.” 

The teen sighed before giving a nod. “Of course Hokage-sama. It won't happen again.”

“See that it doesn’t.”

Kakashi turned to leave, a glower on his face as he prepared to track down the little brat. If the kid ends up getting him sent to Suna he’s going to hand the kid over to Tsume for the length of time he’s gone. That should straighten the boy out. He paused as he stood on the roof, then again knowing Tsume she might just make things worse. Groaning the teen shook his head, the best thing he could do is try to explain to Iruka how hot it was in Suna and how much he didn’t want to go there. 

 

**************

 

Kakashi wasn’t all that surprised when he accepted his next mission, glancing down to the seal on it he sighed. When he got back from Suna he was going to hang that kid upside down for a week for this. He couldn’t blame the hokage for being upset of course, he had warned him. Of course Kakashi should have thought twice about telling Iruka that it was the hokage who was upsetting him. That hadn’t ended particularly well. 


End file.
